December
10th 2011
Pigs
Gone Wild; A Real Nuisance!!
 Feral
or wild pigs (Sus scrofa) are described world-wide
as one of the worst invasive species and are
considered to be an enormous liability to
natural ecosystems, biodiversity, agricultural
production and human health. They compete
directly with native fauna, and have even
caused the extinction of some of those species.
Their omnivorous diet and their burrowing
habits contributes to altering forest processes,
reducing the growth of native plants, and
consequently paving the way for the introduction
of invasive plants. Feral pigs are especially
attracted to waterlogged and riparian habitats,
and so alter the structure and functioning
of important water courses. Feral pigs also
cause significant damage to agricultural crops
and livestock, directly resulting in the loss
of several million dollars in revenue to national
economies. Furthermore, they are known to
act as vectors and reservoirs for a number
of livestock and human diseases, both exotic
and indigenous.
In
Saint Lucia, the Forestry Department is growing
increasingly concerned about the activities
of feral pigs in the Government Forest Reserve
and adjacent private lands. Several reports
from the public and direct observations from
department staff have shown that feral pig
activities are increasing and causing damage
to the natural vegetation and wildlife found
within St. Lucia’s rainforest. Feral
pig activity, seen near important water courses
such as rivers and streams, may be contaminating
our water sources. The situation may be worsened
by their reported presence on private lands
and other areas adjacent to the Forest Reserve,
significantly contributing to economic damage
to private farms.
How
did these pigs get into Saint Lucia’s
forest in the first place? Pigs are native
to Europe and continental Asia, as far south
and east as the Malaysian Peninsular, as well
as to the Indonesian islands of Sumatra and
Java. It is generally believed that domestic
pigs were introduced to the West Indies during
the voyages of Christopher Columbus in the
1400s, and that there was a subsequent spread
to other islands, which he did not visit.
Pigs have been farmed in Saint Lucia ever
since colonial times, right up to the present,
where they have proliferated, escaped through
negligence or otherwise, and in some cases
have become pests. Many farmers have perhaps
allowed their pigs to forage freely in adjacent
areas and were not successful in re-capturing
them. Some of those pigs strayed into the
forest areas and over several generations
have survived there.
The
effort required to eradicate (completely remove)
feral pigs may be too expensive. What is needed
is a sustainable management method, where
population size is kept at a minimum threshold
minimizing the damage caused by wild pigs.
The Forestry Department has been challenged
in organizing the known pig hunters on the
island into organized community groups and
training them in newer methods of entrapment
than the traditional method of using dogs
and guns. Most hunters do not own a licensed
gun. They mostly form hunting expeditions
with someone who owns a licensed gun.
Any
response by the Forestry Department at solving
the problem must take on a strategic and coordinated
approach and must involve all stakeholders.
Efforts must be sustained over time through
adequate funding, adequate monitoring, and
actions taken must be evaluated. This will
ensure that desired results are achieved.
The
task is great but we must continue to forge
ahead in order to mitigate the damage caused
to our forest ecosystem, waterways and farms
by these feral pigs!
For
further information feel free to contact the
Forestry Department @ telephone numbers: 468-5645
or 4685648.
By: Alwin Dornelly
Forestry Department
Photos © Mathew Morton
Discuss
Story
|
